The Crime of the Trenches: or, Clif Faraday's Last Cartridge — page 25: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

TRUE BLUE. r 3 23 which was in Clif’s range of vision, was ,fcounting the bills just given to him. ‘“You go—secretly ?’’ inquired Vizel. ‘‘Was there ever more need? I take no risks, undisguised!’’ retorted Parr. ‘‘The wiping out of that Faraday makes me feelsecure, but he has his friends—also on the trail, I am assured. ‘There isa fellow named Rollins—-—”’ ‘“Vou said he was at Mana?’ ‘“Ffe is at Mana, ana, I fear, searching for Bruce, for the girl. He must be found——’’ | ‘“And squelched !”’ “You have it. Meantime, as I say, I can run no risks. I am missing—mny move in the trenches may have been ob- served by the other volunteers. I know not, for I departed quickly after driving Faraday into ambush. A hunt for me may be started—my description § sent out.’’ **T understand.’’ AS Geet ‘The old way ?’’ ‘“Hidden, secure, till I get to Mana.”’ i ‘And there ?”’ ‘“‘A disguise, the settling up of this Bruce inatter, the grand act at midnight to-morrow, aud if money can buy the liberty of my friend held prisoner as a- traitor by the fleet, I have it to spend.’’ ‘*Well-planned—lI go to prepare.’’ Clif weighed and considered every word that was spoken. His duty was eminently plain—to land this man a prisoner in official hands, with details furnished of his acts and intentions before that ‘‘grand act at midnight’’ was due. It was in his power probably by the exercise of a little shrewd management to down both of these villains ere they left for new fields of enterprise. | To do this, however, Clif fully real- ized, would be to lose the chance of learn- ing where the missing marine, Reeves arlow aud his afhianced bride, Edna alvers, were held prisoners. If he could keep these plotters in sight ill they reached Mana, till, as he intt- nated, Parr joined his employer and con- federate, Bruce, he would be enabled to ag the entire outfit. This line of action Clif fully decided WHAT A TWO CENT STAMP WILL DO—SEE LAST PAGE. - c ~v 3 . é rh hes ~yoe * ; < vo > e- ’ ie 5 Ip 4 aro " Fat Fg s: yr ° a » «/," a t : ‘.¥ + burs - ‘ es. og ANE — eit te -& > ioe” * ~~ .- a” 9 4 * upon.. He stole after Vizel as the latter caine out of the house and proceeded to a broken-down shed running some distauce behind the cabin. Clif’s surmises were somewhat obscure as to what Parr meant when he alluded to a ‘‘secret’’ departure. Soon, however, the naval officer was in full possession ‘of the intentions of the renegade, _ Lighting a second lantern and going into the shed—as seen by Clif peering through the cracks at its side—Vizel ap- proached a large heavy mule. He released its halter and proceeded to strap on a strong chain-seamed girth sup- plied with two great hooks. Two tubular baskets, tightly woven, such as he had seen in common use in the farming districts about Guayla, Vizel now lifted and attached to the hooks. Both had covers, and one of these he proceeded to throw back. In a corner of the shed were some large luinps of dry clay. These, till he had weighted the basket fully a hundred pounds, Vizel threw in. Over the mass he thrust some coarse bagging, shut the cover down, bustled about till he had secured a long leading strap and a whip, and tlien said audibly as he passed out of the shed: “Allis ready!’ ‘Clif Faraday watched him return to the hut. Clif had studied his every maneuver, had reflected, had decided. Now he acted. . It was not dificult to guess what the muleteer was wp to. In the guise of a presumable native carrier, all roads were open to him. The Spaniards were his friends, he was safe if he met them. The American soldiers would not interfere with a person of his humble apparently honest preten- sions. The scheme was to get Parr to Mana, past al] interference or challenging ob- - stacles, without being seen. “T wnderstand,’’ soliloquized Chf hur- rving into the shed. ‘‘Tt’s a chance fora free ride—and why not?’ Clif proceeded briskly to undo tlie work just perfected by Vizel. He removed the lumps of clay, throw- ‘all ¢ a a, et : (~ ‘ . Lr. 2A